Conservation Technique

It is well-known that fruit continue to breathe and consume oxygen even after harvest (Kader et al., UC Davis site reference). The higher the rate of respiration, the more rapid is the rate of maturation and decay of the fruit in the postharvest stage. After utilizing cold temperature as the only means of conserving fresh produce, it was discovered during the 19th century that the fruit can be preserved for even longer time under reduced oxygen conditions and reduced respiration rate. The Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage technology itself was later developed and marketed nearly a century later.

By staying abreast of new technologies and responding to the demand of his customers, Gilbert GERBAUD, the company founder, formed the brand ABSOGER in 1985. Thanks to our CA storage equipment and facilities, we are able to store fruits and vegetables for a long time after harvest with superior quality, firmness, and freshness, which inevitably translates to better marketability and higher product value.

The principle of operation of CA consists of reducing the temperature in the storage room, lowering the level of oxygen by flushing the room with nitrogen as quickly as possible to slow down the metabolism of fruit and its respiration rate. Depending on the type of fruit, the concentration of oxygen is maintained below 2%, while concentration of CO₂ is monitored and controlled to avoid chilling injury and other disorders in the fruit. The exact condition in the room depends on the type of fruit as provided by the Postharvest specialists and consortia, like the University of California at Davis.

Another important parameter in the storage of fruit and vegetables that needs to be taken into account is the presence of gas ETHYLENE.

Ethylene is a plant hormone produced by plants, fruits and vegetables in response to stress, and during ripening. Measures of ethylene in air were used as "indicator of maturity in agriculture for several decades. While ethylene is an essential molecule necessary for maturation of fruits and vegetables, its presence in many storage rooms can cause severe reduction in the storage and shelf life of fruit and vegetables.